Volume 15 Number 1
Winter 2014
Thuy Nguyen Ordained Priest
It was a long journey that took several routes but “God’s will”
brought Thuy Nguyen to Regina where he was ordained priest
December 12, 2014, the Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
He strongly believes that God had a plan for him and despite
different “challenges and difficulties” in his journey, it was
all God’s will. Whatever those challenges and difficulties he
didn’t elaborate either during his thank yous at the end of the
ordination service or in the following interview with the PM. “I
don’t blame anyone. I don’t want to blame anyone.”
Thuy was born and raised in Hanoi, capital of Vietnam. He
was educated there and spent seven years in a monastery
studying for the priesthood.
Until recently the Vietnam government controlled the number
of seminarians limiting them to 40 every second year and thus
controlling the number of priests according to an April article
in the National Catholic Reporter.
It was during a 2011 Vietnam visit that Regina’s Archbishop
Daniel Bohan met Thuy and talked with his bishop. “I was very
impressed with how happy the people at the monastery were
with Thuy,” said the Archbishop prior to his homily. Thuy was
offered and accepted the opportunity to come to Regina, learn
English, complete his education and become an ordained
priest in the Regina Archdiocese. It all came together in Holy
Rosary Cathedral, December 12 a year and a half after his
arrival here. “I was very happy to celebrate this first Mass with
my Archbishop,” said Thuy in the interview. The name Nguyen
is as common in Vietnam as Smith is in Canada. There
are five Priests
in the Regina
Archdiocese
with the name
Nguyen, none
are related.
In his homily, Archbishop Bohan traced the lineage of priests
from God to Christ to the disciples who were charged to go
out and bring the Word to the world. “Through them and their
successors, the bishops, He continues the work of teacher,
priest and shepherd. Priests are co-workers of the Order of
Bishops.”
Traditional gifts of flowers and fresh fruit accompanied the
gifts of bread and wine brought to the altar by members
of the Vietnamese community wearing traditional dress.
Thuy’s father Nguyen Van Thoa read the second reading in
Vietnamese.
The Cathedral was about two thirds full including a large
contingent of Regina’s Vietnamese population. Among the
guests were Thuy’s parents. “They don’t speak English,”
said Thuy, “so it was dangerous for them to come to this
country, their first overseas trip.” Thuy said his sister and other
members of the family were refused visas.
For the first time in the Regina Archdiocese the ceremony was
live streamed on the Archdiocese web site where it has been
viewed nearly 2,000 times and is still available.
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Bob Kowalchuk New Archdiocesan
Pastoral Director
Bob Kowalchuk’s
vocation was education
and he spent 40 years
as a teacher and
administrator; almost
36 of those years in
the provincial school
system including
Regina Catholic and
another five as Director
of Education with the File
Hills Qu’Appelle Tribal
Council. November 12,
he became Director of
Pastoral Care for the
Regina Archdiocese.
Kowalchuk was born in
Foam Lake and spent
his early years growing
up on the family farm
until Grade Four. “I took a horse to school” he fondly
remembered, “It was a one room school.” His life changed
when the family moved to Regina and for the next 20 years
the family was “suitcase farmers” travelling to the farm on
weekends and holidays. He had an opportunity to take over
the farm when it was sold but decided instead to go to the
University of Saskatchewan and become a teacher largely
because of the influence of his Uncle Joe.
“He was an electrician but he was chairman of the Shamrock
School Board. He told me I should become a teacher
because I was a natural. I had worked with kids as a volunteer
and enjoyed it so the next thing I knew I was off to university.”
His education career included in school and system wide
administrative positions and some human resource training
as well, an experience Vicar General Very Reverend Lorne
Crozon referred as valuable to the Director’s position when
he introduced Kowalchuk to Pastoral staff November 4.
Kowalchuk took the position because he is always looking
for new challenges. “I am also of the Catholic faith and I
have always responded to it and this is another way of doing
something that I’d like to try and do. I have had so many
interests and so many things I have done where I may not
be able to say I’m doing it as a Catholic.”
Kowalchuk said he expects the first couple of months will
include listening, looking and learning about the individual
ministries offered through the pastoral office and “not make
any judgments until I can make a rationally intelligent
statement. I think that’s going to be the biggest challenge
is getting my head around what services they really are
delivering.” He knows of the Pastoral Plan that calls for
decentralization that’s supposed to put all the work with the
deaneries and the pastoral offices are supposed to support
the deaneries but he doesn’t know to what extent that has
been happening. “The challenge will be to figure out where
it is now and what needs to be done.”
He and Marie celebrated 46 years of marriage this past
summer. They have two married sons and one nine-monthold granddaughter.
Fr. Burdzy Officially Installed
On November 16th, the 33rd Sunday of Ordinary Time
His Grace Daniel Bohan Archbishop of the Archdiocese
of Regina presided over the official Installation of Fr.
Mieczyslaw Burdzy, OMI as the Pastor of St. Henry's Parish
in Melville, SK.
With cold at minus double digit temperatures outside, inside
the parishioners gathered to witness again another Oblate
to be officially installed as their pastor.
The bulletin insert read: "On this Sunday we welcome very
warmly Most Reverend Daniel J. Bohan, the Archbishop of
the Diocese of Regina. The Archbishop is presiding over the
Eucharist, with the official installation of Father Mitch to the
office of the pastor of the parish. Installation of the pastor into
his office at the parish involves the Bishop walking the new
pastor to various points of significance in the church, from
the ambo to the altar, to the confessional and the baptism
font with a prayer at each place where the Bishop asks the
new pastor, if he is going to do what is specifically applied
to that site, to which the Pastor replies, "With God's help,
I will." Each time the Bishop asks the congregation if they
would in turn do their part.The congregation is asked if they
will bring their children to baptism, come to confession, call
the pastor for their sick, listen to the Word of God, recieve
Communion and so on.
When a priest accepts a pastorate, he becomes the
appointed leader of the parish, the bond of communion, the
designated head, and the father in the faith to this community
of believers. He is also called to be a servant of the people.
Moreover, he is to be the animator, motivating his people to
work together, and at the same time to be the healer, bringing
peace and unity to avert division and anger. Consultation
with parishioners, as individuals and as a community, is
required for a pastor to carry out his duties responsibly."
After the celebration during the Sunday Eucharist, the
Archbishop, the newly installed pastor and the faithful moved
to the parish hall for a meal shared in the family style.
God's blessings to Fr. Mieczyslaw "Fr. Mitch" as he is known
in Melville.
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Lukose Luka Joins Archdiocesean
Finance Office
Swan-Rey who is on leave.
He is a relative newcomer to
Canada arriving August 20,
2010 with his wife and two
sons from Kerala, India. Eight
months later, April 2011, he
began work as bookkeeper
for a local business for two
years until September 2013,
when he joined the Regina
Community Clinic as the
Finance Officer. He joined
the Regina Archdiocese July
2, 2014 filling in for Gwen
Luka obtained a Bachelor of Commerce Degree from the
University of Kerala, India and a Masters Degree in Commerce
from the Gandhiji University, also in Kerala. From 1992 to 2007
he was accounts officer and finance manager for companies
in Thalassery and Ernakulum, India then opened his own
financial and accounting service in Ernakulum which he
operated until 2010 when he decided to take his family and
come to Canada at the urging of his brother-in-law. “Canada
has good living conditions and it was good for my family,” said
Luka. Coming to the Archdiocese was also a good move, said
Luka, “It is a good place to grow in my Catholic faith.”
He holds memberships in the Certified Management
Accountants of USA and is a Fellow of the Institute and Cost
Management Accountants of India.
Rest in Peace Father Patrick
Rev. Patrick McCoy died peacefully Jan. 4, 2015 at St.
Joseph’s Nursing Home in
Saskatoon at the age of 67
years.
B o r n N o v. 2 0 , 1 9 4 7 , i n
Prszemysl, Poland, Father
Patrick was ordained June
22, 1975 into the Order of the
Conventual Franciscans (Black
Franciscans). He served as
parish priest in Poland until his
exile to France in 1984, as a
political refugee.
He then came to the Diocese
of Peterborough, Ontario, in Canada, and in 1988 he joined
the Archdiocese of Regina where he served in a number of
parishes.
In 2005, Father Patrick moved to Saskatoon due to health
issues. In 2007, he was appointed chaplain at St. Ann’s Senior
Citizen Village in Saskatoon and remained there until April
2012, when he retired due to failing health. Father Patrick then
became a resident of St. Joseph’s Ukrainian Catholic Home
where he resided until his death.
Father Patrick’s hobbies included coin, stamp and pen
collecting. He was a member of the Toastmasters Club since
1982.
Memorial donations may be made to Parish Nursing Ministry,
Saskatoon c/o St. Philip Neri Parish 1902 Munroe Avenue
South, Saskatoon, SK S7J 1R8.
Campion College Alumni of Distinction Awards
Neither Randy Garvey nor Curtis Kleisinger expected their
careers and contributions to community would earn them
the Campion Alumni of Distinction Award. Both recipients
described the award as an honour and humbling and both
spent a considerable amount of their podium time thanking
people they met on their life’s journey.
also worked for Worker’s Compensation in Edmonton before
taking his current position with the Canadian Western Bank.
Along the way he obtained a glider license and taught glider
flying for a period. He currently serves on several boards
and committees including STARS (Shock Trauma Air Rescue
Service), Edmonton.
Kleisinger obtained his Education
Degree from the University of Regina
and an Arts Degree through Campion
College, University of Regina. He
began a 14 year teaching career with
the Regina Catholic School Division
then took on the challenge of becoming
the first principal of the Mother Teresa
Curtis Kleisinger Rev. John Meehan, S.J. Middle School, a school patterned after
Former award recipient Tim Young
the Miguel Nativity Model in the U.S. It is
and Randy Garvey.
introduced Garvey and briefly reminisced
a faith based school that provides a middle school education
how the two met at Campion High School.
for disadvantaged children. “He has helped to transform the
“Campion gave me my core values,” said Garvey at the lives of many people,” said Dr. June Zimmer U of R Education
November 6 gala held at the Hotel Saskatchewan. “It taught professor in her introduction. Kleisinger is also the recipient
of the Governor General’s award for teaching history in
me hard work and to make a contribution to community.”
recognition for a unique program that took students to Europe
Garvey’s University of Regina Business Administration
where they visited WWII graves of Regina soldiers whose lives
degree took him to the Canadian Armed Forces first as a jet
they researched before making the trip. He thanked several
jockey, “then as a desk jockey,” as a financial administrator.
individuals and organizations for their support “”Any success
He left the armed forces and began a 25 year career with
I’ve had is due to the people I met along the way.”
the cities of Regina then Edmonton as a financial officer. He
Garvey, a graduate of Campion High
School, is Executive Vice President of
Canadian Western Bank and resides
in Edmonton; Kleisinger, a graduate
of Campion College federated with
the University of Regina, is Executive
Director of the Mother Teresa Middle
School in Regina.
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St. Gerard's Ecumenical Committee in Action
by Debbie and Keith Hayward, Ecumenical Coordinators
The ecumenical committee
at St. Gerard's in Yorkton
held their Fall Art Retreat
in November. A good turnout of artists in a variety of
art forms from painting to
embroidery to photography
were on hand for the day
as we explored the theme
of "healing".Part of our
group exercises included a
St. Gerard's Ecumenical Committee also held a Prayer
for Christian Unity service on Monday, January 19. Our
pastor, Fr. Francis Hengen, hosted five visiting pastors in the
beautiful and meaningful service based on John 4:7. The choir
provided beautiful accompaniment. Following the service,
guests enjoyed fellowship, coffee and snacks (including
some Brazilian selections!) in the parish hall. Thank you
to Father Francis for making the visiting pastors feel very
welcome and included at St. Gerard's.
"spiritual" visit to the
Camino de Santiago,
where we all left our
pebbles of worries
at the Iron Cross, as
well as writing down
our cares and worries
on paper and burning
them as a form of
c l e a n s i n g . L a t e r,
we made a group
mandala, writing
down specific prayer
intentions. The day also consisted of readings and brief
meditations as well as productive artistic time to work on our
projects. It was a wonderful, peaceful, spiritual day.
World Religion Day
each year.
Extra chairs were required
to accommodate the
almost 200 people who
attended the annual
World Religion Day held
January 18 at Beth Jacob
Synagogue. “It’s getting
bigger every year,” said
Krishan Kapila the first
president of the Regina
Multi-Faith Forum that
now organizes the event
World Religion Day brings together local representatives of
religions who each present a short prayer, usually asking for
peace and harmony among nations. This year, a few gave
short speeches as well as a short prayer but all asked for
peace and harmony. The Baha’i representative led off the 11
religions and asked that all nations be one. She was followed
by a Buddhist monk dressed in the traditional saffron robe who
suggested everyone knows the meaning of peace, but don’t
realize it. They were followed by Hindu, Jain, Jewish, Muslim,
Regina Qu’Appelle Spiritual Care, Satya Sai Baba, Sikh,
Unitarian and Christian traditions. Several Eastern religions
chanted their prayer in the traditional language followed with
an English translation.
Rabbi Jeremy Parnes greeted everyone with the traditional,
“Shalom,” followed with greetings of several other faiths. “We
are gathered here to share our faith to live free and express
our faith in harmony.” He referred to a tapestry hanging on an
easel at the front of the gathering which he commissioned.
It contains symbols of the various faith traditions and the
four Hebrew letters that spell out God’s personal name. “It
is unpronounceable,” said the Rabbi, “But if it were it would
sound like this,” and he gave out a
deep breath. “It is the breath of life.”
Reverend Mary Brubacher of the
Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region
Chaplaincy also prayed for refugees
from the world’s war torn countries
and an end to poverty. There were
several references to ecology, care
and health of the earth. The Unitarian
representative said it was inspiring to
hear the words of others and called for
peace for Mother Earth. The Christian
representative simply recited the
Prayer of St. Francis which calls for
peace and forgiveness. Service was
opened with the traditional blowing of
the sankh and closed with the blowing
of the ram’s horn. The sankh is a
symbol in Hindu and Buddhist rituals
and the rams horn is used in Jewish
rituals and symbolizes the presence
of God.
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Shaunavon Parish Celebrates 100th
Christ the King Roman Catholic Church in Shaunavon was
built just 20 years ago and it still looks new but its history
goes back over 100 years.
The Catholic Community of Shaunavon celebrated its first
masses in 1907 when a priest from Gull Lake celebrated
mass in the homes of the pioneers, much like the history of
other churches in the province. That continued until 1914
when Reverend Terence Caraher was appointed Pastor
and a “basement church” was built for the still unnamed
parish. That centennial milestone was marked October 19
with a special mass celebrated by Regina Archbishop Daniel
Bohan and con-celebrated with Pastor Reverend John Mock,
followed by a reception and banquet that attracted more
than 160 people.
A rectory was built in 1923 and the parish was named Christ
the King. The area continued to grow and a new church was
built in 1939 and served until the present church and rectory
complex was opened in October 1994. The Centennial and
the 20th anniversary of the church were celebrated at the
same service.
The Sisters of St. Louis arrived in 1945 and opened St.
Joseph School in the basement of the church. Twelve years
later, in 1956, the new school Christ the King was opened.
Christ the King parish started life as part of the Regina
Archdiocese until 1930 when the Gravelbourg Diocese was
created. It reverted to the Regina Archdiocese in 1998 when
Gravelbourg was amalgamated into the Regina Archdiocese
in a re-organization of Saskatchewan’s Roman Catholic
Dioceses.
The Archbishop’s homily quoted Pope Francis’ Evangelii
Gaudium, The Joy of the Gospel, in which Pope Francis calls
for a change in the modern church to become a missionary
church and parishioners to become evangelists. It is a theme
the archbishop has used in most of his recent homilies. “Our
faith in Jesus Christ brings wonderful things to our lives. It
gives us hope, meaning, security happiness and freedom
from fear. We need to let that happiness show and when we
do, we are evangelizers. When we deliberately let happiness
show, we are being missionaries.”
“Everybody was very happy,” said Joeann Ruetz Chair
of the Centennial Organizing Committee. “It’s quite an
accomplishment to have 200 families when we started
and 216 families now and we expect to grow because new
families have moved into town.” Shaunavon’s population
is about 2,100. The Centennial was also honoured with a
Papal Blessing scroll which was presented to the parish
community by Archbishop Bohan.
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Memorial Blanket Art Installation
John Paul II Centre Sold
It took three years but the John Paul II centre has been
sold. Nicor Group, a Regina based property management/
development company purchased the property from the
Regina Archdiocese with the final documents signed and
payment made in early January. “We’re very pleased” said
Regina Archbishop Daniel Bohan. “We’ve been trying to
sell that property for a number of years. There have been a
number of prospective buyers but none of them were able
to complete the purchase so I’m very happy we were able
to sell it.”
“The most poignant artifact for me are the braids,” said
Dr. Shauneen Pete, as she explained the meaning of the
Memorial Blanket art work set up along a wall in the University
of Regina’s Research and Innovation Centre Atrium.
The Memorial Blanket was put together by West Coast
Artist and Master Carver Carey Newman. Residential school
artifacts were collected from across Canada and placed
in panels of the 40 foot wide work. The art work contains
everything from an old door, worn out skates, a shoe, door
handles, a clock, pieces of wood, glass, photos etc. Old books
and encyclopedias occupy slots along the bottom of the work.
A slide show of old photos and letters are displayed on an old
table behind the Memorial Blanket.
Pete said the braids held the most meaning for her because
one of the first things that happened to the children when
they arrived at the school was to have their hair cut. “Hair
was cut, their clothes removed, showered and other clothes
given,” said Pete. Her father, Jacob Pete, seated in a wheel
chair partially hidden in a corner, watched as his daughter
gave explanations to media who attended the official January
9 opening. He attended St. Anthony’s residential school in
Onion Lake and St. Paul’s in Lebret, Saskatchewan. He thinks
the wall is a good reminder for the citizens of Canada of how
“the Catholic Church, the State and the missionaries tried
to destroy our culture.” He said students had to do what he
called slave labour in and around the schools.
First Nations University of Canada Professor Dr. Blair
Stonechild attended St. Paul’s residential school in Lebret,
for nine years. The Memorial Blanket brought back many
memories, good and bad, that he hadn’t thought about for a
long time. “I remember the dormitories; long rooms with lines
of beds; a sterile, authoritarian and not a very affectionate
environment.” The Blanket also brings together pieces of “the
shattered lives of the students who went there.” Stonechild
said one of the roles of the First Nations University of
Canada is to give students a more holistic education, “an
understanding of who they are and what the culture is about
and we’re taking that step of reconciliation that goes beyond
the stories of residential schools.”
The Memorial Blanket is part of the Truth and Reconciliation
Commission’s Memorial Project.
Dr. Shauneen Pete is Associate Professor and Executive
Lead on Indigenization at the U of R. She heard about the art
project through the media and contacted the people involved
who offered the work for January 1-February 27. There is no
cost to the University and the display is open to the public.
John Paul II Centre was originally built in 1959 as a convent
for the Sisters of the Precious Blood then purchased by the
Regina Archdiocese in 1985 when the Sisters built a smaller
convent just north on the same property. JPII was used as
an educational and training centre housing several programs
and services delivered by the Regina Archdiocese including
the Regional Marriage Tribunal. Declining enrollments for
some of the programs led to its closure by 2007 with the
remaining programs moved to St. Michael’s Retreat Centre
in Lumsden. The Marriage Tribunal is now located in the
Chancery. JPII was put on the market for sale in 2011. The
sale price has not been publically announced but previous
bids on the property were in the range of $2-million. The city
of Regina lists its assessed value at $1,822,400.
Archbishop Bohan said while no decisions have been made it
is likely the money from the sale will be used for a number of
Diocesan needs including the Chancery and Martha House.
Martha House is owned by the Archdiocese and houses
several retired priests and laymen. The Chancery office is
the former St. Anne’s School and is owned by the Regina
Roman Catholic School Division. “We moved here about
20 years ago on a temporary basis,” said Bohan, “and our
situation here is tenuous.”
The Nicor Group of Companies is well known in Regina for
its redevelopment of heritage properties and is the recipient
of numerous awards for its work in that area. The President
of Nicor, Ross Keith, said they are in the planning stages
and their immediate plan is to keep the existing building. “We
appreciate the building. It is an amazing building, incredibility
well built,” said Keith. He said his company has been carefully
over the building, are committed to the deal and are satisfied
that there are options that the company can make work. “The
key to the way we do things is we want sensitive renovations
because the fact that the building is unique is a plus not a
minus in terms of marketing.”
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CWL Memorial Service
On November 6, 2014 the members of Catholic Women’s
League of Canada Sturgis council and Preeceville council
held a memorial service for deceased members at St. Patrick’s
church in Sturgis, Saskatchewan. Using the service found
in the CWL Ceremonies booklet the two councils gathered
to remember 16 deceased members of the Sturgis council
and 11 deceased members of the Preeceville council. Family
members also joined in the memorial for our departed sisters;
Dehlia Durham, Lizzie Weikle, Hazel Gibney, Katie Hauber,
Alma Lubiniecki, Evelyn Carr, Phyllis Sommerville, Margaret
Desroches, Luella Beatty, Janet Delwo, Nellie Babchishin,
Angeline Johnson, Olive Rose, Mary Robertson, Birgit
Beatty, Anne Suknasky, Ilene Kalenchuk, Mary Jakubowski,
Blanche Pruden, Margaret Barteski, Rose Schmidt, Minnie
Kish, Margaret Pantiuk, Judith Mihalicz, Kathleen Leigh, Ellen
Doetzel and Mary Kuzminski.
The service began with the hymn, “New Life.” After the
opening prayer the first reading was 2 Maccabees 12:39-46
followed by the hymn “The Lord is My Shepard.” The Gospel
was from John 11:17-27. Our Spiritual Advisor, Rev. Marcin
Mironiuk, gave a reflection on the great good of praying for
the souls in purgatory.
Following Father’s reflection a white rose was presented as
a living memorial for each departed member. These roses
were presented by family members and league sisters with
the prayer ‘N..., we thank God for the gifts you shared with
us. Amen.’ When all the roses had been presented the
hymn “Peace is Flowing Like a River” was sung. Peace was
definitely flowing through the church at that time.
Marian Centre’s Nancy Topping
Leaves Regina
Nancy Topping has been a fixture
at the Marian Centre soup kitchen
for 14 years, 12 of them as director.
It’s one of the longest terms for a
member of the Madonna House
Apostolate. “I’m going to really
miss the people,” said Topping
in an interview with the PM, “the
people who have come here as
staff and also the people who are
associated with us and the men
who come here.” What she won’t
miss is the responsibility of being
in charge. “It’s like a mother with a lot of children; you’re
always thinking about what will happen next; how you’re
going to plan something. I think I’ll appreciate a little bit of a
break from that.”
Topping’s experience with Madonna House Apostolate
is an example of how a religious calling does not confine
one to a life of what some see as boredom or repetition.
Besides experiencing different parts of Canada, she served
in Combermere, Toronto, Edmonton, Whitehorse and even
a short stint in Africa, she has sung in choirs and played her
violin or viola with different groups in Regina. Before entering
Madonna House she became a Practical Nurse and has used
her skills at various times in her vocation and undoubtedly will
use them more in her new duties in Combermere.
Marian Centre’s new Director is Hugo (pronounced oogo)
Isaza who has been with Madonna House for 14 years and
has served in Regina for 5 years. Coming to the Marian
Centre as, a staff member in 2009 was a return to where his
Madonna House vocation began. He came to the University
of Regina in 1997 from his home in Columbia, South America
to study English. “I read a book by Catherine Doherty
(Madonna House foundress) and I fell in love with that.” He
went to Combermere as a guest for one month, returned to
Columbia where he practiced law for two years then returned
to Combermere in 2000 to join the Apostolate.
Residents, friends, supporters and volunteers of Marian
Centre attended a come and go open house January 10 to say
good bye to Topping and welcome Isaza as the new Director.
Kate O’Donnell originally from Syracuse, New York joined the
Marian Centre staff to retain the Centre’s population at five.
The photo shows the beautifully decorated sanctuary with both
Council’s banners, the Book of Life on the altar, a candle burning for
each deceased member and the vase of 27 white roses.
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Diaconate Candidates
Begin Journey
National Roman Catholic
Evangelical Dialogue
Progressing
"The ultimate goal is to dispel misconceptions and break down
barriers,” said Regina Archbishop Daniel Bohan referring to
the National Roman Catholic Evangelical Dialogue following
a Toronto meeting in December. Bohan is Co-Chair of the
Dialogue with Reverend David Freeman, Vice President
Canadian Ministries for the Christian and Missionary Alliance.
“We engage in dialogue, seeking mutual understanding, trying
to learn from one another and trying to get rid of and clarify
stereotypes,” said Freeman.
Ten candidates have begun their four year journey towards
ordination as permanent deacons for the Regina Archdiocese.
They gathered at St. Michael’s Retreat House here December
13 for their second weekend session to learn what it takes and
what it means to be deacon in the Roman Catholic Church.
Norbert Gaudet said when he heard the letter from the
Archdiocese read in his church, Sacred Heart in Raymore,
inviting applicants for the program, he heard a call. “The
next day the chair of parish council said to me ‘you’d make
a great candidate so think about it’,”. So he thought about it,
discussed it with his wife who said it was something he should
and could do, discerned about it, filled out the application and
was accepted.
Gaudet is a retired French teacher in the Horizon School
District. He is very much involved in his church as a member
of parish council and former chair of the council. He is an
acolyte and serves as leader in lay presided services.
The description of what a deacon does attracted him to the
program. “When you describe Jesus as Christ the Servant,
helping people, working with the poor and marginalized, that’s
something I could do,” he said in an interview with the PM.
So far, Gaudet said it has been interesting but he finds the
amount of learning about scripture a challenge. “I’ve never
been involved much with scripture except listening to scripture
in church but now I’m learning more about how God spiritually
speaks to you.” The weekend of December 13-14 was taken
up with the Old Testament taught by Deborah Rolfes. Rolfes
teaches Scripture in Newman College’s Satellite program in
Saskatoon.
Gaudet said in hindsight he sees how the Holy Spirit has
influenced his life. “Now I’m trying to get more into seeing it
in the present moment.”
The background of most of the ten candidates is somewhat
similar. Most are retired and all are very active in their
respective parishes and saw the deaconate as something
more they could do in living their faith. A few had expressed
an interest and a desire to become deacons prior to the
Archdiocese instituting the program under the leadership of
Archdiocesan Theologian Dr. Brett Salkeld.
The program is delivered one weekend a month for eight
months in each of four years. After successfully completing
the program each will be ordained to the permanent diaconate
and will serve the church in various capacities as volunteers.
According to Freeman the dialogue began when the two
faith communities found themselves with similar positions
in presentations made to the parliament of Canada and
the Supreme Court particularly on the dignity of human life,
definition of marriage and other issues. That led to what both
Bohan and Freeman called a task force to discuss whether
there should be a dialogue between the two. After about a
year-and-and-a-half the Canadian Council of Catholic Bishops
and the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada decided there was
enough common ground to formalize the talks and in 2011 the
National Roman Catholic Evangelical Dialogue was formed .
“The Dialogue is continuing to develop and deepen,” said
Bohan in an interview. The December meeting was spent
mostly in updating three new Evangelical and two new Roman
Catholics to the 12 member Dialogue. Dr. Brett Salkeld,
Regina Archdiocesan Theologian and Ecumenical Officer,
is one of the new members. He and Dr. David Guretzki of
the Briercrest Seminary, Caronport, Saskatchewan, were
charged to write papers explaining their faith traditions. In an
interesting twist of what might be expected, Salkeld’s paper
explains Evangelicals to Catholics, and Guretzki’s explains
Roman Catholicism to Evangelicals. The two worked together
to make sure the papers are an accurate reflection of the two
faith traditions.
Salkeld and Guretski didn’t suggest any difficulty in explaining
each other’s faith tradition but each used a different approach
while relying to some extent on the writings of others. “I
used four key ideas,” said Salkeld, “scripture, the Cross,
Evangelicalism and history.” Guretski said he focused on the
commonalities that exist between the two faiths. “Yes, there
are some doctrinal differences but we agree on some orthodox
teachings, like the Trinity, definition of marriage, and others
which even some Protestants can’t agree on.”
The papers will be published but when and in what venue has
not been decided. “Dr. Salkeld’s paper is done and approved
by the CCCB and will be published as a separate resource,”
said Bohan. Freeman said Guretzki’s paper is “caught up in
the bureaucracy.” The goal is at some point to publish them
together.
page
9 - the arch, winter 2014
Woodrow Lloyd Lecture Features Dr. Blackstock
The Canadian Human Rights
Tribunal (CHRT) is expected
to release its decision on the
human rights of Indigenous
children by April 2015. If the
ruling goes against the federal
government, Indigenous
children will be entitled to
the same rights, privileges
and services available to
non-Indigenous children.
Dr. Cindy Blackstock, a
passionate defender of the
rights of Indigenous children
as well as founder and
Executive Director of the First
Nations Child and Family
Care Society of Canada, brought the case to the CHRT in
2014. She was the Woodrow Lloyd Lecturer, January 21 at
the University of Regina and made her case again to the more
than 300 who packed the Education Auditorium.
Without notes but aided with slides projected onto 3 huge
screens above the audience, she outlined how the federal
government denies Indigenous children the same services
available to non-Indigenous children and quoted several
government reports to back up her argument. “First Nations
children do not get the same basic services other Canadians
take for granted,” she quoted the former Auditor General
Sheila Fraser in a 2011 report.
She gave two examples of First Nations children who spent
unnecessary years in hospital, “not because they were sick
but because they were First Nations.” They required services
and equipment readily available to non Aboriginal children
but denied to them, said Blackstock. One of them spent 2.5
years in hospital and died there at age five. She quoted the
World Health Organization who said for every dollar spent
on a child, the government would save $7. “If you invest in a
kid’s education, culture, language, recreation, you’re going
to be raising a kid who isn’t going to accessing the prison
system, the health system and the social system. We’re doing
ourselves a favour by investing in every baby that comes
along,” she told the PM in an interview.
Blackstock said when you add up all the columns, Indigenous
children spent 66,000,000 nights or 187,000 years of
childhood in foster care. Saskatchewan’s numbers alone
made up 7,933,708 nights. She told the audience members
that they have to stand up and do something about it. “When
the government can’t do better, it’s up to us to make them
do better.” Equality and freedom are not free, she said, you
have to stand up for it.
In response to several questions she said when First Nations
children feel they don’t belong they join gangs. “There is no
excuse for any child in this country to go to food banks for
food,” she said and in another response she said when you
lift from the bottom everyone rises.
Employment Opportunities
Camp O'Neill
Looking to fill the following
positions for the upcoming
season:
Camp Director
Camp Councilors
Camp Cook
Caretaker
The camp is open during
the month of July. Applicants
should be from the area and
somewhat familiar with the
camp. Candidates are welcome
to apply by contacting:
Our Lady of Victories
Parish rectory
306-745-3315, 1480,
Esterhazy, SK S0A
[email protected]
or board members:
Arnold Pretracek
306-745-6212
Gerd Reese 306-8962904.
Archdiocesan Webcast Coordinator
The Archdiocese is looking for expressions of interest from those
who would consider either a part time or contract position to provide
project support for live and/or recorded webcasting of events in the
Archdiocese of Regina. These webcasts will enable people to watch
the event on the internet anywhere in the world.
DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
Working cooperatively with the Communications Director this
position involves recruiting, and training volunteers, supporting and
scheduling events. You will need to:
•
Assess individual requirements for live events, audio and video
webcasts; determine specific resource and location needs
and technical details
•
Administer webcast set-up, including creation of Live-Stream
event,
•
Scheduling and training of volunteers
•
Provide information for bulletin announcements, webcast
attendees and participants
•
Troubleshoot basic technical issues throughout the webcast
and provide online support
•
Schedule equipment and facilities
If you are interested please contact: Bobbi Yanko, Communications
Coordinator,
[email protected]
Camp Lemieux
is now accepting applications
for the position of
Camp Director
for the summer of 2015. If you
enjoy working with children,
coordinating activities and
overseeing the operation of a
summer program then please
consider applying.
Applications are due by
Friday, February 20, 2015.
Call (306)773-0026 or
(306)628-4249 for an
application or email
[email protected].
page
10 - the arch, winter 2014
“Love is Our Mission... The Family Fully Alive.”
Is the theme of a World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia on
September 22-27, 2015.
This meeting will call together people from all over the world.
If you would be interested in going as part of an Archdiocese
of Regina group please contact Tina Kleisinger by email:
[email protected] Check out their website: http://
www.worldmeeting2015.org.
Pope Francis, in his World Youth Day,Address to the Bishops of Brazil in, July 2013 said, “It
is very important to reaffirm the family, which remains the essential cell of society.”
Alive with the Spirit.....
"The SEARCH weekend is an opportunity for spiritual growth, for youth by youth, that encourages a
deeper understanding of faith through the experience of community and individual reflection. It is best
to register by: Wed Feb 4th, 2015. To Register: www.archsearchsk.com or for more Information, please
contact: Monica Shenher - SEARCH Director Ph: 306-371-5853 [email protected] Christ the
King Parish, Shaunavon, SK"
page
11 - the arch, winter 2014
Archbishop and CCO: Youth In The Church
he said, and poverty is high among that group of people. “You
need to have courage to go against the current trend.”
CCO president Patrick Malone said he was pleased at the
turnout, the largest so far this season.
Sitting comfortably on an upholstered rocking chair and
looking much like a grandfather speaking to his grandchildren,
Regina Archbishop Daniel Bohan told a group of young adults
they have an important role to play in the life of the Church.
The informal gathering of Catholic Christian Outreach (CCO) a
university centred youth group invited the Archbishop to speak
on a subject of his choice and to meet with local participants in
CCO. The 25 sat in chairs, love seats, chesterfields and on the
floor of the Aquinas Room used by the parish’s youth ministry.
Bohan, frequently quoting Pope Francis and Evangelii
Gaudium (Joy of the Gospel), said young people like all
baptized Catholics are called to be evangelists but not
evangelists going door to door like Jehovah Witnesses. “Let
people see the joy that is in our life because of our faith.”
"What is it that I expect as a consequence of World Youth Day?
I want a mess...I want trouble in the dioceses!"
-Pope Francis
My Generation…
Called to make a mess!
The Regina Archbishop is a big fan of Pope Francis. He told
the group he was in Rome November 2014 to meet with a
seminarian studying there and while there met the Pope
following Francis’ weekly general audience. “I thank God for
him every day. I find the things he says go to the heart of
Christ. When I met him I told him that I pray for him every day.”
With all the modern forms of communication with social media
there are people and especially young people who complain
about loneliness, depression and emptiness. “We know we
are never alone. Our faith gives us a lot of good things to think
about. With Jesus in our lives we can deal with it (loneliness,
emptiness etc.).”
We are all called to share in the mission of the church, said
Bohan and age doesn’t matter. “The mission is to bring the
message of Jesus to the world, to the people we associate
with. Let them see our joy. You really are important to the life
of the church in the way you live your life,” said the Archbishop.
There is a revolution going on in morals and manners, he
said. People believe they can decide for themselves what is
right or wrong. “It gives them freedom they say.” But what he
called the culture of contemporary has people afraid of making
a commitment. Nothing is permanent. Quoting Francis again
he said marriage is in crisis because of this culture. “Women,
children and old people suffer the most in the current culture”
March 21 & 22, 2015
A rally for grades 8 - 12
$50
or
$100/family
Archbishop M.C. O’Neill High School - Regina
Visit
for information and to register
Financial assistance is available - contact Michelle at (306)352-1651
My Gen Rally is a shared mission of:
The Archdiocese
of Regina
The Knights
of Columbus
The Regina Catholic
School Division